Railway-rail-joint coupling



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1,,

G. WEEKS.

RAILWAY RAIL JOINT COUPLING.

No. 463,258. Patented Nov. 17,1891.

M4 AZ A WITNESSES 1.7V VEJV 0P (No Model.) 2 Sheets-'-Sheet'2.

G. WEEKS. RAILWAY RAIL JOINT COUPLING. No. 463,258. Patented Nov. 17,1891.

WITNESSES.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE lVEEKS, OF EAST OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

RAlLWAY-RAlL-JOINT COUPL|NG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 463,258, dated November 17, 1891. Application filed May 7, 1890. Renewed April 14, 1891. Serial No. 388,926. (No model.)

' To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE Wnnxs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of East Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Rail- Joint Couplings; and I do hereby declare that tails of construction, as will appear more fully .the rail.

hereinafter.

Among the objects of my invention is to produce a construction whereby the joints of the rails are effectually held in proper position and at the same time allowed a slight longitudinal movement when made necessary by reason of expansion or contraction.

A further object is to produce a solid, substantial, and perfectly safe device for the purpose, whereby danger from broken rails is materially lessened.

The invention also has in view various other objects, which will clearly appear from the description which follows.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my device, showing the same applied to the ties. Fig. 2 is a transverse section. Fig. 3 is an inverted plan. Fig. 4. is a detail view in perspective of the fish-plate with its projecting .slotted arms. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the inner side of the chair proper. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the opposite side. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of Fig. 8 is an edge View of the longitudinal locking-bar, and Figs. 9 and 10 are detail views of the split spikes for securing the chair to the ties.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, the letters A A indicate sections of a rail, the webs thereof being provided with rectangular apertures a a.

The fish-plate is indicated by the letter B,

The letter 0 indicates the chairproper, the I base 0 thereof serving as asupport for the rails. From the base extends upwardly a side piece 0, which is provided with rectangular apertures 0 registering with the apertures of the web of the rail and'through which the ends of the inwardly-extending arms are designed to pass, and also provided with an inwardly-extending portion 0 at right angles, said portion having its edge concaved to receive the edge of the rail. It will be noticed that this part c is diminished in thickness at each end and gradually widens toward the center or at the point of union between the rails, thus forming a re-enforced or strengthened surface at the joint, also forming a complete bridge to pass the wheels smoothly over joints. It will also be seen from the drawings that the side piece 0 has extending from the lower portion of its inner face a longitudinal flange c between which and the base-piece one edge of the base of the rail is adapted to be inserted. The chair is furthermore pro- 'vided with a laterally-extending longitudinal flange c", said flange being much thicker than the base-piece, of which it forms a continua tion. The base-piece and flange just referred to rest upon the ties and are secured thereto by means of spikes D D, suitable notches c 0 being formed in the flange for the reception of the heads of these spikes. Ihave also shown depending from the under face of the base of the chair a rectangular or square box 0 said box being preferably formed integral with said basepiece. The box, as clearly shown, is designed to fit between the ties and acts as an effectual guard against the chair moving longitudinally out of position. The spikes D D, above referred to, are of the peculiar construction shown in Figs. 9 and 10 of the drawings. They are split and have prongs d d and d d',which diverge as theyare driven into the wood. These prongs are differently pointed that is to say, the prongs of spike D have their opposite end pieces beveled or pointed, while the prongs of spike D have their ends beveled or pointed from their inner contiguous meeting faces. These peculiar chisel-shaped points necessarily provide for spreading as the spikes are driven into the ties.

Passing through the slotted ends of the arms I) b is a longitudinal bar E, said bar provided on one end with an inwardly-extending lug 6, adapted to pass into a suitable notch 0 formed in the side piece 0' of the chair and provided at its opposite end with a downwardly-extending lug e, which bears against the slotted arm to which it is adja-' cent. This bar not only serves to assist in securing the inwardly-extending arm in position, but also acts to bear against the side piece of the chair, so as to press the same firmly against the rail. In order to retain this bar securely in the notches, I insert between the latter and the outer edge of said bar suitable wedges F. g

In devices of this character as heretofore constructed great difficulty has been experienced from the liability of the rail to work out of position through contraction and expansion. To compensate for this I construct the opening in the web of the rails through which the inwardly-extending arms pass elongated or a greater width than said arms. In

. this manner the rails are allowed a slight longitudinal play, thereby readily taking up any expansion or contraction which may occur.

Having thus fully explained the construction of my improved railway-rail-joint coupling, I will now proceed to explain some of the advantages arising therefrom. It will be seen that the entire device is substantial, strong, anddurable and held firmly together, and at the same time readily dismantled, so that the parts may be replaced should wear or damage thereto necessitate. By my construction, also, there is no necessity of the rails being tightly clamped as if held in a vise, as in the ordinary forms of joint-couplings, thus avoiding the unpleasant vibratory jar commonly experienced. It will also be seen that there are no depressions at the joints of the rails, so that the same are practically as smooth as any other portion.v By providing the re-enforcement or enlargement of theinwardly-extending top portion of the chair my device is capable of sustaining the greatest amount of weight, keeping the rails together, and stiffening the joints, thereby making the rail at the joint as firm as at any other point.

My device is furthermore simple in construction, and can be applied to the ordinary form of rail without taking up said rail or the ties to which the same is secured, all that is required being simply to make the apertures in the Web of the rail.

My improved chair can also be adapted to use on cable roads and also on elevated roads, and at joints fully guard against the rattling and continual noise usually experienced in this class of railways.

One great point of advantage claimed by me over other devices for an analogous purpose is that I provide a construction whereby the entire device may be adjusted or put together without the necessity of driving spikes or nails and may be as readily dismantled. To accomplish the latter all that is necessary to be done is simply to remove the wedges F and then the longitudinal bar E, after which the fish-bar and its inwardly-extending arms .may be readily withdrawn.

Finally my device combines strength, durability, safety, ease, and comfort to the maximum.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a railway-rail-joint coupling, the combination of rails having the webs thereof provided with apertures, a fish-plate formed or provided with inwardly-extending slotted arms, a chair having its side piece provided with apertures registering with the apertures in the rails, said registering apertures adapted to receive the ends of the arms, and a longitudinal bar passing through the slotted ends of the arms, substantially as set forth.

2. In a railway-rail-joint coupling, the combination of rails havingthe webs thereof provided with apertures, a fish-plate formed or provided with inwardly extending slotted arms, a chair having its side piece provided with apertures registering with the apertures in the rails, said registering apertures adapted to receive the ends of the arms, and a longitudinal bar provided on one end with an inwardly-extending lug passing into a recess in the side of the chair and upon its opposite end with a downwardly-extending lug hearing against the inwardly-extending arm to which it is adjacent, substantially as set forth.

3. In a railway-rail-joint coupling, the com bination of rails having the webs thereof provided with apertures, a fish-plate formed or provided with inwardlyextending slotted arms, a chair having its side piece provided with apertures registering with the apertures in the rails, said registering apertures adapted to receive the ends of the arms, and wedges inserted between the slot and the outer edge of the longitudinal bar, substantially as set forth.

4. In a railWay-rail-joint coupling, the combination, with rails having the webs thereof provided with apertures, of a fishplate formed or provided with inwardly-extendingarms,and a chair having its side piece provided with ap ertures registering with the apertures in the rails, said side piecealso provided with an in wardly-extending top portionor flange, said portion or flange being re-enforced or widened at its central point and gradually diminishing in width toward each end, substantially as set forth.

5. In a railway-rail-joint coupling, the combination, with rails having the WGbS'thGI'GOf provided with apertures, of a fish-plate formed or provided with inwardly-extending arms, a

I V V chair having its side piece provided with apertures registering with the apertures in the rails, said side piece also provided near its lower end upon the inner face with a lateral flange, forming a groove or recess between the same and the base of the chair for the reception of the edge of the base of the rail, substantially as set forth.

6. In a railway-rail-joint coupling, the combination, with rails having the webs thereof provided with apertures, of a fish-plate formed or provided with inwardly-extending arms having a downwardly-extending lug, a chair having its side piece provided with apertures registering with the apertures in the rails, said side piece being also provided with an outwardly-extending lower flange forming a continuation of the base of the chair, and a seat for the downwardly-extending lug of the inWardly-extendin g arms, substantially as set forth.

7. In a railway-rail-joint coupling, the combination, with rails'having the webs thereof provided with apertures, of a fish-plate formed or provided with inwardly-extending slotted arms, a chair having its side piece provided with apertures registering with the apertures in the rails, said side piece being also provided with an outwardly-extending flange, and a longitudinal bar provided on one end with an inwardly-extending lug passing into a suitable recess in the side piece of the chair and upon the opposite end with a downwardly-extending lug bearing against the arm to which it is adjacent and seated upon the outwardly-extending flange of the chair, substantially as set forth.

ing Wider than the former, the base-piece being also provided upon its under side with a depending-boxing or casing adapted to pass between the ties, of a longitudinal bar passing through the slots of the arms and wedges inserted between said slots and the outer edge of the longitudinal bar, substantially as set forth.

9. As an improved article of manufacture, a railway-rail chair consisting of a base-piece formed or provided upon its under side with a depending boxing or casing adapted to be inserted between the ties, and an upwardlyextending apertured side piece provided at its upper end with an inwardly-extending concaved portion or flange and at its lower end with an inwardly and also outwardly extending flange, the latter being Wider than the former, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE \VEEKS.

Witnesses:

CHARLES L. CoLvIN, THOMAS FREDERICK GRABER. 

